Computer-Assisted Tomography for the Observation of Oil Displacement in Porous Media

Abstract

Abstract Computer-assisted tomography (CAT) is used to obtain cross-sectional images of Berea sandstone cores during oil displacement experiments. Local oil saturation averaged over an area of about 0.03 × 0.03 in. [0.8 × 0.8 mm] square is computed as a function of spatial position and time. A series of CAT scan images displaying the time evolution of the fluid distribution at one cross section are shown to illustrate the formation of viscous fingers.